So long, Rio Bravo

A few days ago, my grandmother said goodbye to Rio Bravo, the house in Uruguay's Punta del Este where she lived with my grandfather and their two daughters after moving back from Texas - where my mum was born. The house was just too big for her to live alone in, among other things.
Oddly perhaps, I didn't even feel the faintest twinge the day my abuela moved out. Because I lived in Iran, Kenya, Iraq, China and then-British Hong Kong before moving to Paris, all before I turned 15, I have become quite indifferent to houses and apartments. To me, home is where my parents are; and if tomorrow they move to a hotel in a country where I've never set foot, I'll call that place home.

Top: that's me, aged 9 months, with my mum, when I first visited Uruguay.
Bottom: a few years later, in Rio Bravo again.

Remembering Childhood

All the talk about the free-falling American car industry made me want to read Made In Detroit, a childhood memoir by Paul Clemens. It focuses on Detroit, a city that used to symbolize America's once triumphant industry, where dreams were manufactured as they still are in Hollywood, before becoming a wasteland.

The book cover features a picture of the author as a child, playing in a little kid car. This made me wonder what photograph I would choose for a cover if I were to write a memoir of my childhood. Of course, I'd want it to be a picture that reflected my family's nomadic lifestyle, as well as the bliss of childhood - I was one happy little girl!





Maybe a pic of me looking up at Artigas, the hero of Uruguay - the country where my grandparents are from...
Or a photograph of a radiant little me in Kenya, where we were then living...
Or a snapshot of me as a pompom girl, vacationing in Maine, in a t-shirt from Kenya...
Or a photograph of my dear sister and me, in front of Iraq's Samara Tower, a typical destination for our Friday picnics when we were living in Iraq?...
Or a pic of me putting on my roller skates in Paris, with the Eiffel Tower in the background?

Bombachas de Campo

Some time ago, in her blog El Beso, an Argentine treasure, Karina featured bombachas de campo, the pants worn, typically with boots, by the equestrian gauchos of Argentina and Uruguay. I loved their style, and asked my mom to bring me back a pair from her trip to Uruguay this month.
They're easier to wear than jodhpurs (while similar to jodhpurs in that they have this baggy-around-the-thighs cut), but also hint at a love of horses, and most importantly, as I walk around Paris, they make me think of Uruguay's beautiful campo, its open spaces...
I love the idea of taking a traditional item of clothing and wearing it my own way. How would you wear them?

Back in Paris - Some News

As I was about to board the Eurostar at London's St Pancras, I spotted this fun illustration by the extraordinary Quentin Blake on a wall outside the station... I love the joy it conveys. I've always been a huge Roald Dahl fan, and I suspect Blake's drawings had something to do with this adoration...
In Paris I was reunited at last with Benjy, aka The Oracle. While I was away, he was bitten on the neck by a large dog on the street... But fret not! Benjy is in good shape and can't wait to resume his guest-blogging. Don't hesitate to leave him questions about Paris, fashion, lifestyle or anything else in the Comments section.

If you're interested in France and food (who wouldn't be?), you might want to know that I've started writing for CalorieLab. See for instance my piece about Smart Choices At French Bakeries and today's article on a French Bill seeking to criminalize encouraging anorexia nervosa.
I miss Uruguay, its beautiful horses and views, so I was happy to stay in touch via this blog's Comments, with Natalia, one of the Maldonado Liceo students whose picture I snapped last week; she's kindly answered my questions about what she and her friends are into, especially when it comes to music. Give Uruguayan rock a go with NoTeVaGustar...

I was delighted to receive this award from 36 Shea's Jill. With her lovely family and fine eye for beauty, not to mention her talent as a seamstress and designer, Jill's enchanting; I also feel I have a special bond with her because she lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where I spent two years in the late 1990's. Thank you so much, Jill!

Adios, Uruguay!

On Wednesday afternoon I left Uruguay... It's a 1h30 ride from Punta del Este to Montevideo, then a 45mn-flight to Buenos Aires, where there's a 7-hr wait, then a 13-hr flight to Madrid, 2 hrs in Madrid and at last a 2-hr flight to Paris... I'm actually posting from Buenos Aires's Airport!
Before we all leave Uruguay, here are a few more pictures: the sign Calle de los caballos (Horse street), on a beautiful, fragrant Eucalyptus tree, Montevideo seen from Pluna's tiny plane and finally, a Mafalda cartoon.
Mafalda, the terrifically funny and opinionated Argentine little girl created by Quino decades ago, still appears daily on the front page of the newspaper El Pais. Here's what she says:
Let's have a look at this new story book....
"In a far away country there lived an ogre who ate little children"...
There it goes again! They're always eating us!
Until when are we going to be the chickens of literature?I hope you enjoyed our trip to Uruguay.... If you want to visit this gorgeous country, whose people are welcoming and warm, make sure to send me an email and I'll give you some tips and addresses!

At the Jagüel and around Maldonado...

Caballos! Horses are really part of the Uruguayan life. In the countryside, you'll often run into people who go around on horseback, and old-style gauchos, with their typical hat and their guitar, can still be seen, leading cattle with a hyper-active dog in tow... The saddle is usually made of leather, of course, with a plush thick layer of local sheep's wool...
I have always loved horses and ever since I was a little girl, I've gone horseback riding in the Jagüel park, in Punta del Este. These past few days, I have been riding black Lucifer, a gentle beast despite his name, and white Paysandú, in fragrant Eucalyptus woods... Bliss!

I went for a walk in the town of Maldonado this morning... In front of the public Liceo (high school), a group of girl friends allowed me to take their picture before they went to class. Today April 8 is the 18th birthday of Natalia, of the beautiful smile, at the center of the picture - Feliz cumpleaños, Natalia!
Unlike children, Liceo students are not required to wear a túnica. I saw plenty of super slim jeans and Converse sneakers, a style cherished by teenagers the world over these days, and was saddened to see many girls and boys smoking...

On the road in Uruguay

On the road from Punta del Este to Atlantida... I love Uruguay's green landscapes, where horses and cows roam free. Open spaces! Blue skies! Crisp air! You may see lovely children coming out of public school in their typical white túnicas with a black bow, a sight that always makes me go "Aaaaaaaw!"...
Tomorrow we will "Aaaaaaaw!" some more with four-legged creatures. And it's not what you think!

I was psyched to receive this award from 2 bloggers I adore. Sweet Marie, who has an eye for exquisite design, and the whimsical, delightful illustrator Etsi. Thank you so much!
I'd like to pass on this award to
1. newcomer Chloe, a sassy writer and my personal style icon
2. All The Best, whose designer profiles and interviews are such a treat!
3. Laura's Kitchen Notebook, for its super yummy tales from Paris and all over the world
4. Au coeur d'Artycho, where you'll see the most exquisite creations ever and so much more...
5.Pia, because she's Pia, and no award list can be complete without her.
Award-winners, here's what you should do:
1. nominate 5 blogs which haven't had this award before
2. each of the blogs must have a purpose
3.the nominated blogs must make a link back to this page
4. the logo from the award must be put on their blog and it must link back to this blog!

A treat: los alfajores

Ever had an alfajor? If you've never been to Uruguay or Argentina, that's unlikely. It is the Uruguayan treat. It is made with dulce de leche, or 'milk jam', a super-sweet caramel-y spread that no Uruguayan could live without. Many European and American brands now offer dulce de leche, but only here can you find the read thing - local milk has a certain sweetness that is unique. My own favorite brand is La Pataia, of the cheerful cow logo... Dulce de leche is wonderful on toast or panqueques (crêpe-like pancakes), a classic Uruguayan dessert, in churros or as a toping over ice-cream...
Alfajores come in two varieties: blanco (covered with meringue, my favorite) or negro (chocolate-coated). In this sandwich-like cookie, crumbly maizena-based circles hold a thick layer of dulce de leche. Personally, I love those maizena cookies even without dulce de leche.
Is anyone interested in the recipe?

La Moda

When it comes to la moda, Uruguay does not exactly stand out... However some local brands do produce exquisite items.
Ever lusted after Lutz & Patmos's luxurious knits? The super fine wool they use is actually shorn off Uruguayan sheep. The same kinds of materials are used at Manos de Uruguay, a brand that turns 40 this year. Don't you just love that single-button cardigan with those shorts? Their kids' stuff, including pointy striped hats and colorful cardigans (pictured), are also to die for.
I may shop there before I leave - you have to stimulate the local economy, what can I say...
But Uruguay is even more famous for its leather. Spoiling me in typical abuela style, my grandma just bought me a pair of classic pumps at Pasqualini... They are exquisitely made, comfortable and so shiny! I can't wait to wear them in Montevideo or Paris.

Cielo y mar

The endless sandy beaches of Uruguay are beautiful, but what moves me even more is the country's light. It is rich, silky and intense, unlike any light I have seen anywhere in the world. (Maybe that's why I never saw my aviator abuelo without his sunglasses. Soy un vampiro, I'm a vampire, he used to deadpan).
Here are a couple of shots of the skies above Punta del Este's playa mansa at 5.30pm...
It's too bad I can't show you the night sky: on this pristine arch, the Milky Way stands out, spectacular and breathtaking. You'll have to travel to Uruguay to see it for yourself.

Avenida Gorlero

Punta del Este's Avenida Gorlero is Uruguay's Champs-Elysées or Fifth Avenue, its most famous and chic avenue. In cafés, such as El Greco or La Pasiva, you'll actually be charged as much as in Paris for coffee! (Shhhhhh, don't tell my grandma I patronize these places or I'll be lectured on my shameful wastefulness). At the end of the little streets that run perpendicularly to Golero is my beloved Atlantic Ocean.
Among fabulous ice-cream parlors and fancy shoe stores (together with meat, leather is the foundation of Uruguay's economy), are several super-well-stocked bookstores. Latin American literature became dear to me when I was in junior high in Hong Kong (!) and a Peruvian Spanish teacher introduced me to Cortázar (arguably my favorite short-story writer), Borges, García Marquez, Onetti, and many more. I love having a frothy cortado with some good reading... This week, I bought volumes by authors whose works I have yet to discover: Argentina's Silvina Ocampo, and Chile's Roberto Bolaño (whose novel Los detectivos salvajes was enthusiastically covered in American papers when it was translated into English a few months ago). Check them out! (Shhhhhh, don't tell my grandma I spend money on books or I'll be lectured on my shameful wastefulness.)


I was delighted to find out that
Fashion Ivy had awarded me an Excellent Blogger distinction!
Thank you so much, she said, blushing...

Feria de Maldonado

Punta del Este, with its endless beaches, chic cafés and stores such as Louis Vuitton and Fendi, where only wealthy foreign tourists can shop, is Uruguay's pride. However, I much prefer nearby Maldonado, a quiet town with age-old landmarks - I will make sure to feature some this week on this blog.


Every Sunday, Maldonado is the stage of a feria (outdoor market) where the country's bounty is displayed.
Families walk around buying superb seasonal produce, as they munch on tortas fritas (fried cakes) and panchos (hot dogs), with their mate handy. Very much Uruguay's national beverage, caffeine-packed, super bitter mate is made with the leaves of a shrub and boiling water, and drunk in spherical, leather 'cups' with a silver straw.

Local cheese, dried herbs for infusions and seasoning as well as honey are also sold.
With the vegetables, people will make pascualina, a delicious spinach-and-egg pie, or empanadas, pastry pouches with yummy filling. As in Argentina, a significant portion of the population is of Italian descent (including my own late great-grandmother, Nonna Chinita), so at the feria you'll find everything you need to make potato-based gnocchi, fresh pasta and sauces...

Blogging from Punta del Este

It was a 14-hour flight from Paris to Buenos Aires, where I changed airports and waited at Aeroparque a couple of hours. The bus from Ezeiza to Aeroparque drove on a wide, modern freeway before venturing into the streets of Agrentina's capital; as I was wondering why we left the freeway, the answer appeared before my eyes: said freeway ends abruptly, and was left unfinished.At least it gave me a chance to glance at Buenos Aires again, a city I love. I had some sweet, delicious croissant-like medialunas and had a cortado (similar to an Italian caffè macchiato), the latter at an airport cafe amusingly called La Madeleine... Then a small airplane flew me over the Rio de la Plata to Montevideo, where my grandma was waiting for me. In balmy weather and Uruguay's beautifully rich light, we drove me to Punta del Este, somme 110km (75 miles) away.
Home at last!